Darryl Read
Darryl Michael Roy Read (19 September 1951 – 23 June 2013) was a British singer, guitarist, drummer, actor, poet and writer. In the late 1960s, Read was a member of Crushed Butler, considered by some to be amongst the forerunners of punk rock. He collaborated with musicians such as Bill Legend, Mickey Finn and Ray Manzarek.
Read appeared as a child actor in a number of films, including, aged 14, in Daylight Robbery (1964), for which he won a Silver Lion medal award at the Venice Film Festival. He also appeared on stage in two rock-based plays and a number of television programmes. He was a published author of poetry as well as a biographical novel.
Read was killed in a motorcycle accident in Thailand in 2013.
Early years and career
Read was born in Exeter, where his father Hedley Read was working on a stage production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Read struggled at school (he was later diagnosed dyslexic) and following his parents divorce, he lived with his grandparents. Following his grandmother's death when he was seven years old, Read was sent to Parkside Boarding School, in East Horsley.
